Pacific Northwest

For
those seeking an escape to the outdoors, the pacific northwest is an ideal
destination - well known for its beautiful coastline and vast forests of Douglas-fir,
cedar, and spruce trees. Within an
expanse of land stretching from Washington to northern California, plentiful
precipitation makes this region the only temperate rainforest located in the
United States. Unique lodges are sprinkled
throughout, built to take advantage of the area’s natural beauty.

PNW Wilderness

Located on the banks of crescent lake, within the northern
range of Olympic National Park, the Singer’s Lake Crescent Tavern is a
beautiful craftsman style lodge built in the early 1900’s to promote
tourism. The most striking
characteristic of the lodge is the natural timber great room, anchored by a
massive stone fireplace on one end and an intricately detailed enclosed porch
on the other. The lodge once housed Franklin D. Roosevelt prior to his
designation of Olympic National Park as a national park. Various new secondary lodges and additions
have been built onto the main lodge since its inception, but much of the
lodge’s character has been preserved and can still be experienced in its original
condition.

Lake
Crescent Lodge

Lake Crescent Lodge, Central Fireplace

Along
the southern range of Olympic National Park, Lake Quinault Lodge was also built
in the early 1900’s and was originally an informal retreat for loggers. Designed by the architect Robert
Reamer, a Seattle architect well known for his work in rustic lodges, the
structure is roughly a V shape with wings stretching out on each side, clad in
western red cedar shingles sustainably sourced nearby. There is an abundance of interesting details
at the lodge. The second-floor jetties
over the first, the wings project over a sloping grade and create a third story
at the ends, and the roof has a subtly different slope at the front gable vs
the back.

Lake
Quinault Lodge back view

Lake
Quinault Lodge

Most
remarkably, the entire 2 ½ story structure was completed a mere 53 days from
the start of construction. Quite a feat
in difficult terrain!

Timberline Lodge

Lastly,
the Timberline Lodge is located most dramatically on the south slope of Mt.
Hood, in Oregon. Designed by architect Gilbert
Stanley Underwood, the structure is notably different from the other
lodges, supporting its mass with a ground story of cobbled fieldstone and
boulders. At roughly 40,000 sq. ft. and
4 stories high, the Timberline dwarfs the other two lodges. The angular rooflines swoop down on either
wing to allow for dramatic vantage points of Mt. Hood in the backdrop. A massive 6-sided stone chimney mass
dominates the central head house, providing 3 enlarged fireplaces on each
level. Interestingly, the central head
house was modified from its original octagonal shape to a hexagon during the
design development stage. Within pop
culture, the building gained recognition as being the exterior of the Overlook
Hotel in the movie adaptation of The Shining, by Stephen King.